The National tribune., 1887-08-04
BOW he ESCAPED.
"reminiscences of an Old War Core
spOndent.
~ MISS II. L. MONROE, CoouRAx's FALLS, PA.

terest you, SAID mr.. j. *. lFemDly, an OLD war
correspondent Of the New York Herald, now
prominent business man in Washington. The
letter was dated March ., 1866, and said:
4" Does the North appreciate the fact that we
have held all Winter long an active battle
front Of 35 miles in length2 Do you know
that We have really not been in Winter quar-
ters2 There has not been an honr's relaxing
on the whole of this IS miles since this army
took up its present line to Darbytown," /" etc
If you have time to hear it | will tell you
Of my capture shortly before the date Of that
letter" said Mr.. Trembly.
was riding with Gen. Gwin, whose bri-
gade led the infantry column, preceded by
regiment Of cavslry-the 9th Ohio. When
about three miles from Dinwiddie Courthouse
the column halted, about o'clock, and were
selecting camping grounds for the night.
"SuppOsing. of course, that pickets had been
put out, / went 10 a barn 40 rods away to feed
my horse. i saw two men approaching me,
and the blush gray of their clothing made me
suppose they were Union men. j could have
escaped but for this mistake. They proved to
be Of w. II. f. Lees cavalry.
My horse did not get chance TO finish his
oats ] was ordered TO mount, and started
rather unwillingly TO visit Lees headquarters.
j rode between my captors, one Of them hold
IL
came out from the woods as we passed along to
quiz me about our Numbers, plans and position,
but ! did not prove well-informed On these
subjects.
"In one Of these parties little 16-year-old
Lieutenant grabbed the hat or my head and
put upon me his filthy, miserable old slouch,
which proved so large IL dropped over my eyes.
] said: If ] am going TO see Gen. Lee, / don't
want 10 appear before him in this old hat
At - 1sT.a
ant; 'yon will find his no better
Months after, when i saw Gen. Lee, he
wore very much such hat. Another officer
then ordered me TO hand over my watch,
which did with as good grace as could.
"The horses they rode were iaded. miserable
creatures, while mine was a splendid animal,
and i was momentarily expecting an order to
exchange, but they felt sure Of him no doubt.
knew the Ohio cavalry lay of TO my right,
which they did not.
My wife was coming to Washington that
day, and / had left her but poorly provided
with money, because / expected 20 go back
there in a few days. She was very young and
inexperienced, and the thought Of her anxiety
and destitution made me determine to escape
] almost felt the twinge Of their bullets in my
back. ] now think if my wife had not been in
my mind should not so soon have made the
effort.
coming across an open field. Our soldiers un-
derstood at once that was a prisoner, and
charged down upon the rebels The one hold
ing my rein dropped il to reach for his pistol,
and i spurred ahead. The bullets fell thick
around me, but rode through an open gate
and was chased round some farm buildings, by
which time they began to find ID necessary to
face the cayalrymen. After an exchange Of
shots our men, believing there were more Of
the rebels near, struck out for camp, and the
rebels after me until i rode in sight Of the 9th
Ohio, when, with a parting shot, they with
drew.
In an hour and half from the time my
borse was taken from his oats led him back
20 the same tree 20 finish his meal.
"A regiment Of infantry had gone In pursuit
Of me, and we gathered in most Of those squads
as prisoners. ] beat the regiment in, and keep
that old hat as souvenir Of the Southern Con-
federacy.
ave had hard time in those days in seeing
which correspondent would get in our news
first. We never hesitsted 10 charter a steam
boat locomotive or TO buy a horse and absn-
don him if taking care Of him meant detention
Of news.
Frank Chapman, of the Herald was one Of
the most enterprising Of the war correspond
ents. Where news failed he had splendid
Imagination, and he never hesitated TO draw
upon it, One night several correspondents
boarded q train in Virginia 10 reach Washing
ton TO get OF their dispatches for that day. The
telegraph Offices were only kept open for as
until a. m, because later than that would be
too late for morning paper. Several delays
had occurred, and the correspondents were all
growing anxious.
Frank disappeared from the crowd and got
into the engine. OF course / do not know
what was done there, but can fancy the En-
gineer was enriched by $40 bill. Frank crept
back TO the first coupling, the pin was drawn
without The engineers knowing il, and the
engine sped on TO Washington.
Just as they got into the city the Engineer
found his loss. Frank sprang to the ground,
reached the telegraph Office in time, aud the
Herald that morning scooped the outfit
"of course you have heard how the Herald
got the only report from the ball at Quebec
when the Prince Of Wales was there 20 dance
with the fair ones Of the Dominion2 Nor
Well, Frank tried 10 secure the line from tho
Operator, asking him 10 name his price. The
Operator assured him that that line was run
for tie public; but, sir he added, you can
have it as long as you use it,
AL right said Frank, make me that
agreement in writing IL was done. Frank
stationed his reporters at the ball, and the first
report came down at 8 o'clock. Send that,
said Frank, when it was done. Now tele-
graph this and he began on the first chapter
Of Genesis, and telegraphed more Bible into
that Herald Office that night than il had ever
seen. The parenthesis, however, had glow
ing account Of the ball.
I" was at AppomGttox &C the time Of the sur
render, and went with my brother, Capt. ". l..
Trembly, then an Ordnance Officer, now of
the War Department, and three other officers
70 receive the cannon turned over to Grant In
Gen. Lees surrender. As the officers rode out
Of camp the men shouted Bound for Ander-
sonville.'
When they came to the piekets the guard
said be knew nothing about IL, and would do
nothing. Well said my brother. you must
pat as under arrest aud take Us TO your su.
perior officer which he at last did.
" The Officer Of the Day professed to know
nothing about IL, and he told him to do the
same; that is, pass Us on to his superior officer
After more than two hours delay we met in the
Chief Of Ordnance a man whom we had seen
during all this time sitting on log in plain
sight, whom they had declared could not be
found.
"The officer said he would like to make fur.
/ ther inquiry, and asked that business be post.
pOncd until the next day. Our officers assured
| him their orders were positive; that the busi.
ness must be closed up that day. He then
said, In very surly manner: There they are
take them away; no one will interfere with
! you
capt. Trembly looked over them carefully
There were So guns and piles Of ammunition
be then walked back and said to the officer
You are the Chief Of ordnance9i
al am
"'Are these AL the guns you have?'
They are all know anything about